When your child gets a dyslexia diagnosis (or when you start suspecting it), the amount of information out there is overwhelming. There are programs, apps, curricula, Facebook groups, tutoring directories, advocacy organizations, and about a thousand opinions on what you should do first.
I've been working with families in this exact spot for years. Here's what I tell every single one of them: you don't need to do everything. You need to start with the right things.
This is my curated list of free resources that are actually worth your time. No affiliate links. No sponsored recommendations. Just the stuff I point families to because it works.
Understanding dyslexia
Understood.org - The best free starting point for parents new to learning disabilities. Their dyslexia section explains what it is, how it's identified, and what to do about it in clear, non-clinical language. Start here if you're still figuring out what you're dealing with.
The Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity - Research-backed information from one of the leading dyslexia research centers. Their FAQ section answers the questions parents actually ask.
Decoding Dyslexia - A parent-led grassroots movement with chapters in most states, including Montana. They advocate for dyslexia awareness and policy change at the state level, and they're a great way to connect with other parents who've navigated the school system.
Understanding how reading actually works
The Science of Reading: A Primer (by Louisa Moats) - Search for this article. It's the clearest explanation I've found of what the research says about how children learn to read. It will change how you think about reading instruction.
Sold a Story podcast (by Emily Hanford) - If you want to understand why so many kids are struggling to read and what went wrong with reading instruction in American schools, this podcast is essential listening. It's engaging, well-reported, and will make a lot of things click.
Activities you can do at home today
The Discovery Reading Club (free tier) - This is my own resource library. I built it because I wanted parents to have access to the same kinds of structured literacy activities I use in my tutoring sessions. The free tier includes sample printable worksheets, a couple of games, and hands-on activities you can try at home. Everything is built on Orton-Gillingham and structured literacy principles.
No credit card. No commitment. Just log in and start exploring.
Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR) Student Center Activities - Search for "FCRR student center activities." They have hundreds of free printable activities organized by reading skill (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension). The quality is excellent and they're research-based.
Reading Rockets - A national public media literacy initiative with a huge library of free resources for parents. Their "Helping Struggling Readers" section is especially useful.
Apps that are actually good
I'm cautious about reading apps because most of them use the same guessing-based approach that doesn't work for kids with dyslexia. These are the exceptions:
Teach Your Monster to Read (free on web, paid on mobile) - A phonics-based reading game that teaches letter-sound relationships systematically. It's genuinely fun and my students have always liked it.
Bob Books Reading Magic - Based on the Bob Books series, which uses a systematic phonics approach. Good for very early readers working on CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words.
Know your rights
Wrightslaw - The definitive resource for understanding your legal rights as a parent of a child with a learning disability. Their "Topics" section covers IDEA, IEPs, 504 plans, evaluations, and dispute resolution. Bookmark this site.
Your state's Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) - Every state has one, funded by the U.S. Department of Education. They provide free training and support to parents of children with disabilities, including help navigating the special education process. Search "[your state] Parent Training and Information Center" to find yours.
What I'd actually do first
If I were a parent who just found out (or suspected) my child has dyslexia, here's the order I'd go in:
Week 1: Read the Understood.org dyslexia overview. Listen to the first two episodes of Sold a Story. Start observing and writing down what you're seeing at home (letter reversals, guessing at words, avoiding reading, how long homework takes).
Week 2: Create a free account at The Discovery Reading Club and try one or two activities with your child. See how they respond to multisensory, structured approaches. Try the phonemic awareness check: can your child tell you the individual sounds in "cat"? In "ship"? In "frog"?
Week 3: If you haven't already, request a meeting with your child's teacher. Bring your observations. Ask what screening has been done and what intervention they're providing. I wrote a whole guide on how to have this conversation: How to Talk to Your Child's School About Dyslexia.
Week 4: Decide on next steps. Maybe you pursue a formal evaluation through the school. Maybe you look into private evaluation. Maybe you start working with a tutor. Maybe you keep using home resources and monitoring progress. There's no single right path, but now you have enough information to choose yours.
One more thing
You're not behind. The fact that you're reading this means you're already doing the most important thing a parent can do: paying attention and looking for answers.
Dyslexia doesn't go away, but with the right support, kids with dyslexia learn to read. They learn to love reading. They succeed in school and in life. The research is very clear on this. Early, systematic intervention works.
Start somewhere. Start small. Start today.
Get free structured literacy resources >>
Talk soon,
Candace
